January + February Photo Dump

Wow I can't believe we're already halfway through February 2016!  This year seems like it might go by just as fast as last year.  This won't be an involved post - just a few pictures.  I haven't taken very many this year, though.

I have like no pictures from the beginning of January.  We had a New Year's Day party, but I did not feel well that day, so I didn't really take any pictures of our friends who came to party with us. 

 Towards the end of the month, we had our first show at Hale Center Theatre - Beau Jest.  It's the story of a Jewish girl who hires an escort to play her made-up Jewish boyfriend.  It was incredibly funny and  a lot of fun.  We took a selfie before the show started.

This is one of the scriptures I've been "ponderizing" lately.  I love the message that the Lord will lead us throughout our lives towards the promised land if we keep His commandments and that we will know He is in control.  It is a great comfort to know He is guiding my steps.

On the Sunday of the Superbowl, Peter and I dressed to support our teams.  

Me, the Carolina Panthers (of course!), and Peter, the Denver Broncos.

I also made blue Carolina Panther snickerdoodles to share with his family (who are mostly Broncos fans, although one or two of them support the correct team). 

 Dressed in our teams colors that evening for the game.

This week, Peter sent me flowers at work for Valentine's day!  He even remembered that calla lillies were my favorite flower from our wedding! 

The 

Last night, Peter took me on a surprise Valentine's Date to the Utah Symphony, who was doing a 75 Year Celebration of Broadway with guest vocalists.  It was really fun.  Our two favorite numbers were "Defying Gravity" from Wicked and "Music of the Night" from The Phantom of the Opera.  Morgan James sang "Defying Gravity", and she definitely had the power for that number.  Peter said he got goosebumps.  Hugh Panero, the singer who performed "Music of the Night" had played the Phantom on Broadway for 2500 performances!  When he started that song, we knew why.  It was gorgeous.

With a Little Help from My Friends

I am surrounded by amazing people. 

My friend and…I don’t know the right word…hairstylist? Mckenzie helped me learn how to curl my hair with a straightener this afternoon so that it could be curly for the ward talent show tonight.  She is so sweet! 

My friend Carly recorded a video of us performing, which was too sweet of her.

My mom sent us a package of Halloween goodies!  Yay!  Thanks so much, Mom!  She also helped me pick out my outfit for the talent show late last night when she was ready for bed.  What an awesome mom J

Peter came back home today after dropping me off and washed dishes, got the laundry pretty much done, and folded two loads of it within an hour before his first class.  Thanks so much, love!  You rock!

I love all you awesome people!  Thanks so much for everything.

Unfortunately, I had done a self-portrait before this video was taken, and I forgot to flip the camera back around or show Carly how to flip it.  Then my phone ran out of memory right in the middle of us singing, so we only got a short clip!  Oh, well.

Musical surprise!

Peter planned a surprise for our date for my birthday!  He took me to see the Piano Guys in St. George!  Steven Sharp Nelson was supposed to be there, but actually wasn't able to be there because on his way to St. George, his wife called and said she was having her baby!  So, unfortunately, we didn't get to see Steven in person, but he contacted us via video adn let us see him play his cello for his new baby girl for the very first time!  It was awesome!  For the songs that Steven was supposed to play, they simply played the audio or the video recording of him playing it, and Jon Schmidt played the piano along with the recording.  In spite of Steven's absence, or maybe because of it, the concert was like tailored for me. Jon was able to play a lot of songs himself, which I love, being a pianist.  He even threw in Jessica's Theme from Man from Snowy River, which he doesn't normally play.  At the ends, we got him to play two encore's: the first was Dumb Song, which was really fun--he put on a bright red wig and danced crazily.  But he said if he was going to play Dumb Song as the encore, he had to play one more song after that.  So then he played Can't Help Falling in Love, which is another of my favorite pieces!  It was sooo awesome.  Then, he came out to the lobby after the show, and we were able to get his autograph and a picture with him.  It was totally fun!  Peter did such a good job with our date!

Date Night!

Peter and I went on another date Friday night!  We went out to eat at Applebee's, then to see Les Mis.  The food was good, and the show was awesome!  Afterwards, we found a quiet spot on campus and Peter attempted to teach me to waltz, so we could practice for our wedding dance!  It was a lot of fun.  After that, we went back to my house, and Peter got ahold of the camera and tried to take pictures of me.

Jazz Concert at Come See Me!

Last Sunday we went to Glencairn Garden to watch my friend play in a jazz combo in the Come See Me Festival. Although he would say otherwise, they sounded really good. He plays really well.

"Don't Rain On My Parade"

I sang in the Come See Me Festival Broadway Night on Thursday! Here's a video!

Here we go!

Our Stake had a fireside with Kenneth Cope. He has written and performed many songs, including two that some of my favorites on the 2005 EFY CD, A More Excellent Way: Broken and More. It was an amazing fireside. It was so good! The spirit was really strong. I loved it. I got to shake his hand afterward, which was really cool, too. As we walked down the hall, we heard one girl say, “That was better than a Girls’ Camp Testimony meeting,” which was really funny. And it was; it was better than a Girls’ Camp Testimony meeting.

Anyway, I’ve had a pretty good last full week before school. Tuesday, which was Mom’s birthday, we went out, I got my hair cut, we got our toes done, saw a movie, and did some shopping! It was fun. I got my back-to-school outfit, a really cute dress! Matt and Vanessa came up this weekend. Friday night we went to Sydni’s reception (I can’t believe she’s married!), and I went to Ethan’s birthday party for a bit. Then Saturday, we went to see GI Joe, which was a fun action, comic book movie.

Tuesday, I’ll help at Freshmen orientation, then Wednesday, I’ll go back to seminary and to school. But tomorrow, I plan to fully enjoy my last day of freedom. I’m going to watch a movie and some NCIS, read a little, play a little Wii, and….do the laundry. Okay, so the last one isn’t that fun, but hey, if that’s all I have to do tomorrow, I can deal with that. Well, here comes the school year. My last year of high school (wow that’s weird and cool all at the same time lol). I’m finally a Senior!!! Woot, woot!